New cafe and events space for Wentworth Woodhouse

The derelict Grade II* listed Camellia House will be transformed into a daytime cafe and events venue, if plans are approved.

The building began life as part of an 18th century menagerie and was transformed into a home for the Marquess’s prized camellias, with the earliest structure of the house dating back to 1732.

Wentworth’s Camellia House still houses some of the oldest and rarest camellias in the Western world, which will have “pride of place” in the new-look space, which due to open in 2022.

The tea room within the house will see its timber panelling restored to its former glory, along with modern underfloor heating. The tea room will become the cafe’s seating area.

The entrance to the building will be levelled to create disabled access, and a changing places pod will also be installed.

Planning documents state that Camellia House is in “a poor state of repair, with no roof over the main room”, nd the building is leaning “significantly” to the south, thought to be caused by open-cast mining in the early 20th Century.